Dispose Batteries In Thailand - Where?

[pepi2005]

Hello,

I have collected a few batteries during my stay already, but never saw disposal bins

for batteries here unlike we have that everywhere in Europe.

Where can I dispose them in an environmentally sensible way?

thanks,

p.

[opalhort]

There is no such thing as garbage separation here in Thailand. Even though they have different colored bins the collectors dump it all together in the same truck. The people also just dump all garbage in any bin regrdles of color.

Last year we had a bag of old batteries, about 5Kg, and told the collectors in person that it is toxic waste.

They just dumped it in the truck and compacted it together with all the other garbage.

opalhort

[chimsa]

It's called "Living for today".

[britmaveric]

trash bin would be most appropriate.

[JimShortz]

Well, I don't have an ideal solution, but at the school where I work we have one of the large plastic water drums as a storage space for all of our waste batteries and when we fill it we aim to seal it and bury it if we can find no better alternative! any better ideas very welcome. Anyone?

[nikster]

10 years back in the USA I went to the photo counter in one of the large drug store chains, and asked whether I they could dispose of my old batteries. The lady said "sure". I gave her the batteries, and she promptly dropped them in the trash bin behind the counter.

In Thailand, there seems to be no collection system. Small wonder considering that even basic trash pick-up seems to be a challenge in many parts.

I don't think sealing them and burying them yourself is going to be any better than just throwing them in the trash, in fact I'd think it might be more dangerous to create little toxic time bombs around where you live/work.

[ignis]

There is no such thing as garbage separation

Yes there is, but it is at the other end.... When the truck empties his load everything gets sorted, unlike many places your garbage is not taken to a land fill site..

As with everything Batteries get sold on..

No idea about the City, but around where I live trash collectors charge 20baht for the rubbish collection, gone up by 4baht in 6 years

[rak sa_ngop]

Two places I have spotted around Bangkok.

1. MBK plaza (BTS National Stadium), on the mobile phone floor there are a few bins scattered around for spent phone batteries.

2 Fortune Town (MRT Rama 9) I saw that the Toshiba shop/service centre in the IT section had a bin for disposable Lithium batteries.

I have thrown ordinary batteries into these bin on the assumption that they will also be recycled.

[seabear]

From: Phuket Gazette:

Where can I safely dispose of lithium batteries? Is there a safe way to dispose of or recycle lithium batteries and other toxic products in Phuket so that they don’t end up in a landfill?

Alan Jones, Kathu Monday, October 26, 2009 “There are many bins where you can dispose of recyclable materials in Kathu. They are yellow in color.

Alternately, if you have items that can be recycled, you can put them in a black bag, call Kathu Municipality and we will organize for a garbage truck to go and collect it.

For more information contact: Kathu Municipality, 12 Vichit Songkram Road, T. Kathu, A. Kathu, Phuket 83120. T: 076-321500 ext 111. F: 076-322126. E: [email protected]: kathucity.go.th

Somporn Sakayawikrom, sanitation officer of the Phuket Provincial Public Health Office, replied in a previous query:

In Phuket City we provide special bins in government schools and hotels to separate toxic waste. Phuket City municipality collects the material and and sends it to Saraburi where it is safely disposed of. In areas that do not have the specially designated bins at this time, you should place any toxic waste in a plastic bag and take it to the nearest hotel or municipality office in your area. We will then collect it and transfer it to the Phuket City municipality. It is important that you do not destroy it yourself or dispose of it by burying it in the ground.

For more information on toxic waste management contact Phuket Provincial Public Health Office on Narisorn Rd. T: 076-211330. Email: [email protected]” Monday, October 26, 2009 An officer at the Kathu Municipality Public Health Division

[CMwanderer]

What about in CM? I have an old laptop battery and am hesitant to throw it in the normal rubbish bin as I would never do this at home. Any collection bins here?

[JusMe]

At one time, and probably still, Thammasat University had small plastic bins in the student cafeteria area (most likely other sites, too) for battery collection. I can only assume, with the obvious results inherent in doing that, that they are then collected and disposed of in some environmentally responsible manner.

[harrry]

Chiangrai Tessabahn has shelves with bins for various dangerous waste to be placed outside the front door.

[Cheops]

Most Thai people don't know the concept of disposing trash properley in trashcans, let alone seperation of trash

I learn my kids to use trashcans and also to seperate the trash like paper/plastic/metals etc. We keep this stored at our home until it's a sizable amount. Then we go to one of the many trash collector companies to sell our seperated trash. The money which my kids 'earn' will go into their saving accounts. This way they learn to do this with fun and they can buy something later for it as well. It's all in the educational system ("jong geleerd is oud gedaan", for the Dutch people who read this).

By the way, at the company where I work we have some special 'battery' bins at several places. But don't ask me what happens after they get emptied